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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Tell other woman husband of affair

257 replies

Thoroughthought · 22/08/2024 11:33

I don’t really have people around me that I can talk to about this so I’ve decided to try this. I’m still hurting and I can’t move on without a final step of closure.
My husband had an affair two years ago. It lasted for a year and a half and I was blindsided. Found out by chance by my car not matching his phone. Dealing with the gaslighting lying and pain whilst over months discovering that each detail was worse than the version sold to me before. We have three children. The pain caused by my husband is not the reason why I am writing. I am writing because in my learning of this… I read messages that stay with me because of the nasty character of husband but also the woman involved. Hurtful things they shared about me. Discussions about my body, pubic hair, our sex lives, my personal life, work, loss of my baby for example. Messages where she nastily encouraged my husband not to buy me a gift for my birthday (which he agreed with to her but did anyway) and I can’t undo what I’ve read in this catastrophic soul destroying dialogue over the years that I was caring for our young children unknowingly of this deceit. I thought we were happily married and think my husband is a psychopath. On the other woman- I can’t let it go that she had contact with my children and sent them gifts.- some of which I even thanked her for over the phone. The reason why I write this is because whereas I am navigating the storm that is my husband and know he is abusive. I have thought endlessly about how I can get closure and I feel that after so much ruminating…. I know… or at least feel that closure for me, as weird as this seems … please bare with… is that I need to tell the husband/partner of the woman of the affair. I want him to know what she was doing and that it was not just their affair but also the nasty steps taken to unnecessarily cause me (and no doubt him unnecessary humiliation and pain). I’m sure he is not aware. I have battled with this for over two years as my closure because too hurt for words but understand myself better now. Being unable to find a way for full peace. Sometimes the pain of what I read, thrives in me, it’s less now but it cuts deep to think (aside from the obvious with my husband) that a woman exists that attempted to dismantle my children’s lives purposefully, unkindly… pitching my husband against my daughter. I didnt really want to involve myself but I’m set that this is the way I can put this behind me finally- by shifting the messages and affair back to her - where they belong. I want to be truthful with him about the restaurants the coffee shops, the days out, the sexual talk, the degrading of me and him, the meet ups and the fact she became pregnant and had a termination. The reasons for this are- I cannot get over her involvement with my children (phone calls with my young daughter) and the nastiness she put into our lives. I believe it is one thing to have an affair with a man (obviously unacceptable his behavior- but I think it’s a whole different thing to be actively trying to destroy the wife, the children and that is unfortunately what I have read from the messages and contact I have seen - I think of the painful arguments we had where I felt he was being unfair to my daughter- now knowing how these were being spurred by her dialogue that he wasn’t being “tough enough”.. etc She even messaged my husband the week we lost our baby enquiring about my mental health and proposed meeting times in the delicate time after (which were agreed to). I can’t let go of the fact that such nasty people exist in this world and how much she involved herself in my life unbeknownst to me, . Even messages laughing at me and using code phrases to indicate that either I or her husband were around. I feel that for whatever deficiencies I have as a person, I need to throw all of this madness back into her life and, by doing so, out of my head.

is it okay for me to expose affair to her husband so he is better informed?

OP posts:
starrynight21 · 24/08/2024 05:00

You can do it, but don't assume that you know how he will react. It doesn't always work out the way you think it will, as I well know. I did something similar, and it turned out that he already knew, and was in fact, quite nasty to me. Do it if you want to, but go into it with your eyes open. Good luck.

OhshutupNancy · 24/08/2024 05:11

Oh OP why why why are you still with him? Come on the reason you hold onto the anger is because he is still in your life.

orangalang · 24/08/2024 05:25

She could only contact your kids if he had let her. She only knew details because he told her. Yes she is shit, but she only got into our lives because your husband allowed her in. He is the one you thought you could trust and rely on with your family and he destroyed you.

dothey · 24/08/2024 06:09

OP I completely understand your situation & how you feel I felt I was reading my my story while reading your post (more or less even down to your DH's family who were not nice) as I have been there before. I hope you can get some answers and advice here and that you can recover from this soon. My one advice to you in all of this is to LOVE and look after yourself and children and put you and kids first in all situations & things from now on. 💐💐

I will keep an eye on this thread and pls keep us posted x

HoppingPavlova · 24/08/2024 06:21

Nope. You need to concentrate on leaving your marriage, not be bothered with background distraction such as the other woman’s husband.

AllHopeandRainbows · 24/08/2024 06:46

If it’s closure you’re after then I think your first move needs to be leaving the husband that you call abusive, a psychopath, degrading, lying, gaslighting etc
And maybe get some therapy to help you realise this.

DysonSphere · 24/08/2024 08:36

After reading your update and thinking on it some more, I think your need to tell the other woman's husband though completely justified, is actually a distraction.

Something that you feel if you do it, it may allow you to get past some of your anger to continue existing in the marriage.

letmego24 · 24/08/2024 08:54

Are they still seeing each other?
I think I would tell the husband unless I thought the OW was genuinely evil/ s risk to me in some way as I usually find unpleasant people will go much further in the nastiness than I ever could - you can't match it and don't want to get caught in more nastiness.

MrsDamonSalvatore · 24/08/2024 09:01

I would a) tell her husband and b) ditch your husband.

OoLaaLaa · 24/08/2024 09:05

Thoroughthought · 24/08/2024 01:02

thank you - he left the job the day I found out about affair.
he has not been, as far as I am aware, in contact since, other than a few exchanges to end it.
no- not with woman.
still with me.

Christ bin this twat off. He will never change, he cheated on both wives, on his first with you. Leopards never change their spots

CitronellaDeVille · 24/08/2024 09:17

OP, what an absolutely horrible thing to go through.

Two years on your H seems not to have managed to make the apologies, changes, reparation or commitment to restore your trust or any happiness in your marriage.

Whether you tell her DH or not is up to you, but if you do I suspect you might be disappointed that it doesn’t actually help you feel any better.

In your shoes I would focus on leaving your H and walking away with your head and heart turned forwards.

Nasty, nasty individuals, both of them. And this was the second time (as far as you know) that your H had cheated?

Resilience · 24/08/2024 09:20

I'm so sorry OP. You're clearly hurting. 💐

From the style of writing in your post, I'd say you're still very much on the early stages of processing this. You're dealing with an absolute maelstrom of emotions and you may feel very differently about things in a few months time.

I don't have an opinion about whether telling the OW's H is the right thing to do or not for him, my only concern is whether it's the right thing to do for you. They deserve whatever they get. Sadly, however, while telling might give you temporary relief I think it may actually hurt you more in the longer term. It will re-engage three people in your recovery process rather than allowing you to break free from the lot of them, which is what you really need to do.

You sound horribly unsupported in real life but as the breadwinner, you have options many people in your situation do not. I'd really, really advise getting some personal counselling to help you find a path out of this as there's no one to talk to in real life. Good luck.

olympicsrock · 24/08/2024 09:25

Get your own house in order. By focusing on her and her husband you are distracting yourself from getting your own life back on track.
Get a divorce and if in the process you end up telling her husband and your friends why then so be it.

Cherrysoup · 24/08/2024 09:30

Focus on getting out of the marriage. Protect your finances as much as possible, I’m guessing the guy isn’t father of the year given his behaviour with the ow. Forget her, telling her Dh won’t help you.

ClickClickety · 24/08/2024 09:32

Your husband sounds dangerous. You should speak to Women’s Aid about making a plan for separating from him. Don’t speak to the OW’s husband until you have divorced and got settlement etc, and even then don’t do it if you sense your husband could react violently. Best of luck!

BowlOfNoodles · 24/08/2024 09:40

Where did you find this prince?

CBlondie88 · 24/08/2024 09:59

I told the OWs husband but she had got to him first, once again twisting reality making out I was just a paranoid, crazy wife. Just prepare yourself for that outcome if your going to tell him.
I stayed with my husband but focused on myself and my children only, it was the best thing I've ever done because now I feel strong enough to leave x

Dery · 24/08/2024 10:16

“olympicsrock · Today 09:25
Get your own house in order. By focusing on her and her husband you are distracting yourself from getting your own life back on track.
Get a divorce and if in the process you end up telling her husband and your friends why then so be it.”

This with bells on. You need your H gone. The sexual infidelity would be bad enough but he betrayed you and your family on all levels. Let his nasty family support their nasty son with his mental health. And this was a 2-year affair - not a drunken ONS. Staying with him will destroy you. Cutting him loose will help you start to recover.

Starjumpfifty · 24/08/2024 11:41

Dery · 24/08/2024 10:16

“olympicsrock · Today 09:25
Get your own house in order. By focusing on her and her husband you are distracting yourself from getting your own life back on track.
Get a divorce and if in the process you end up telling her husband and your friends why then so be it.”

This with bells on. You need your H gone. The sexual infidelity would be bad enough but he betrayed you and your family on all levels. Let his nasty family support their nasty son with his mental health. And this was a 2-year affair - not a drunken ONS. Staying with him will destroy you. Cutting him loose will help you start to recover.

This.

Tell the husband, and divorce your own. There's no coming back from what he did.

usefulhelpisit · 25/08/2024 06:01

Hello OP good morning, how are you? Pls pls pls put yourself and kids 1st and look after yourself and kids and I can tell you are hurting really bad and it is normal and understandable.
If I were you, of course I will tell the ow husband it might not make things better but it will be a burden on me otherwise hence I completely understand how you feel. Pls keep us posted & I hope you have family and friends around you for support if you don't, don't worry about it because you can do this and there are people on here for you x

sadmillenial · 25/08/2024 06:38

Real talk?
I can have a horrible vicious streak in me that i know i need to control, its a part of me i dont like when i lose my temper. So my immediate reaction would be to blow up her marriage and tell everyone.
However..... that would likely lead to so much more drama, and im not sure would feel good afterwards?

maybe talk to someone you trust and see what they say? you dont have to be the one to tell the husband?

Mumof2girls2121 · 25/08/2024 06:44

I’m sorry this happened to you. She sounds vile, but doing telling her husband won’t change the fact that yours sounds like a complete prick. Changing your circumstances is the only way you’ll feel better.

Lifesingflowers · 25/08/2024 07:02

Tell her ex husband, once that is over get a divorce.. He will cheat on you again

AmberAlert86 · 25/08/2024 07:16

I would tell the other woman's husband. He has been lied to for years and deserves the truth. The OW is a nasty piece of work.
Kick your husband out. This wasn't the first affair, it won't be the last. He's an absolute lowlife. Send him to his family where they can be emotionally available fir him.

hesemotionallybankrupt · 25/08/2024 10:08

AmberAlert86 · 25/08/2024 07:16

I would tell the other woman's husband. He has been lied to for years and deserves the truth. The OW is a nasty piece of work.
Kick your husband out. This wasn't the first affair, it won't be the last. He's an absolute lowlife. Send him to his family where they can be emotionally available fir him.

Yes exactly

But then he goes to his family and then one thing is that families that behave the way his does are also always emotionally bankrupt and will end up destroying him but that won't be any of your business as he's an adult and should be able to behave himself instead of being a lowlife like this with this evil OW who's is a lucifiarian if there is a word like that